Rapid Prototyping of Sensors and Conductive Elements by Day-to-Day Writing Tools and Emerging Manufacturing Technologies

The growing demand for low cost and easy to use analytical devices requires the development of reliable and rapid deposition strategies suitable for changing easily planned designs and applicable to a wide range of materials for assembling conductive tracks and sensitive elements. Further important challenges to be pursued are the possibility of using readily available instrumentation and reducing power consumption and hazardous chemical waste. This review provides an overview of the use of portable day-to-day writing tools, such as pencils and pens, for the rapid and on-demand deposition of conductive patterns on different substrates, with particular emphasis on the assembly of "Do It Yourself" sensors. Moreover, layer-by-layer deposition of simple or even complex three dimensional (3D) circuits, resorting to pressure driven extrusion of conductive filaments is considered. Future perspectives and potentiality of these emerging technologies for assembling sensors are also explored. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.